TL12

Finally, I got a thicker rear sway bar installed on my 3.2TL. I found out that the factory rear sway bar was not only tiny (1/2" diameter) but also hollow. No wonder it didn't handle well at all.

My new bar is a solid 3/4" diameter steel and custom made at a performance shop and mounted on polyurethane bushings. The stiffness is about 4 times that of the stock bar and the handling is extremely better.

My next step is to change the front sway bar bushings to polyurethane. I don't intend to change the stock front sway bar at this time.... possibly later. My car is more balanced in cornering and most of the understeer is gone.

esCarbonie

that sounds awesome.. how much luccini did you end up spending on it?

TL12

It cost me $680 cdn ($425 US) to have the bar made up and installed with new polyurethane bushings. Hefty price, but so far, I have not heard of aftermarket suppliers making them for our Tls. The shape was very much the same as the original, except the extra kink at the center of the bar was left out.

I still think it was worth it for the perfomance. I had another look at the original 1/2" hollow bar and it is garbage. It looks and feels like the straw you get with a slurpy.

962.5tl

damnnnnn that is alot for them to make and install a lower sway bar ... i hope that handeling improbed alot :wow: :wow:

TL12

You are right, it is a lot of money, but I like good handling cars and my TL got to the point where I hated to drive it fast around corners.

I'm sure you could get it done cheaper elsewhere, especially in California. The parts were only $66 cdn. The barstock was 6150 carbon steel and 3/4" diameter. The installer originally wanted to use 7/8", however after having a second look at the flimsy suspension, he decided to go smaller.

I guess some people are into sound systems and things that make your car look different and willing to spend many hundreds if not thousands of dollars on it. I'm more into performance and handling.

962.5tl

ok very true ... i guess its up to personal opiion... i just think that if your spending the money then you should have something to show for it .. dont get me wrong im not hatin on you but we jsut think in different ways

unx979

damn too bad you have a 3.2 or else i would've asked you for a set for my car. dunno of any shops that can custom make them for me. sucks.

TL12

Don't give up! It took me lots of phone calls, emails and talking to performance minded people to find this shop. I'm sure in California there would be a shop that does custom bending and probably a lot cheaper as well. You might get a good deal if other 2.5 owners are interested to have sway bars built as well.